A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section.
The turbine section includes arrays of turbine vanes, such as first stage vanes in the gas turbine engine. The turbine blades in the turbine section experience high external heat loads that require high levels of cooling. Typically, numerous film cooling holes and high volumes of cooling fluid are required to provide the needed airfoil cooling. One or more baffles are typically provided within an internal cavity of the airfoil. Cooling fluid is supplied to the baffle, which is spaced from the airfoil. Baffle cooling holes direct cooling fluid onto an internal surface of the airfoil. This cooling fluid then exits the airfoil through film cooling holes to provide a film on the airfoil exterior surface.
Typically compressor bleed air is used to provide the cooling fluid. The volume of cooling fluid used to cool engine components impacts the efficiency of the engine.